National Security Council Declares NATFORCE Illegal

The National Security Council (NSC) has declared National Taskforce on Prohibition of Illegal, Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition, Light Weapons, Chemical Weapons, and Pipeline Vandalism (NATFORCE) illegal.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, disclosed this to State House correspondents after a meeting of the Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.

He advised the NATFORCE leadership to disband itself with immediate effect or risk being disbanded forcefully by security agencies.

Recall that the Senate had in July passed into law the Bill establishing the Taskforce, while the House of Representatives is expected to pass its version upon resumption in September 2022.

Aregbesola also said investigation into Kuje Correctional facility attack by gunmen was still a work in progress.

He said the Council received reports from all service chiefs and Inspector-General of Police, adding that the council chaired by President Buhari was “very satisfied” with the performance of all security agencies and that the country was moving to the phase of consolidation.

He said the Council also commended the Police Force for its performance during the Anambra, Ekiti and Osun governorship elections.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingiyadi, has assured that they are other negotiators involved in the negotiations with kidnappers of Abuja-Kaduna train passengers, insisting that Tukur Mamu’s arrest will not stop negotiations.